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House Dem Chief: Don’t Get Complacent

By Michael Falcone August 1, 2008 4:12 pmAugust 1, 2008 4:12 pm

In his latest memo to fellow lawmakers, Representative Chris Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, cautioned his members against slipping “into complacency,” even as he expressed confidence that the Democrats would pick up seats in November.

On the day of the Congressional recess, Mr. Van Hollen, of Maryland, referred to the National Republican Congressional Committee as “under funded and in disarray,” and highlighted the D.C.C.C.’s plans to blanket the airwaves with television advertising in 50 districts this fall. The committee has already reserved $53 million worth of air time, it said.

“We must not allow our funding lead over the N.R.C.C., our early preparation, our successful recruiting efforts, and most importantly, our special election wins to lull us into a false sense of complacency,” Mr. Van Hollen said. “Historically, following a wave election like 2006, the majority party loses seats.”

Mr. Van Hollen has emerged as something of an evangelist for guarding against “irrational exuberance” – a phrase he has been using over and over for months.

It’s also very likely a sign that he’s looking to lower expectations for the fall contests. In the memo, which he sent to House Democrats on Thursday, he noted that with 75 seats in play (by the D.C.C.C.’s count) “we currently have more opportunities than we can afford.”

“As we face this challenge, the shortage of N.R.C.C. resources is no comfort,” Mr. Van Hollen wrote, and called on Democrats to help finance the committee’s efforts. He also called the independent conservative group, Freedom’s Watch, “our main competition this cycle.” (The D.C.C.C. has set up a Web site critical of the group.)

The Republican committee contends that they are mounting a robust effort to challenge the Democrats in November, though they are behind in fund-raising and, as of the end of June, had far less cash in the bank than the Democrats. And Representative Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma and the chairman of the N.R.C.C., reportedly urged G.O.P. Congressional candidates not to attend the Republican National Convention in September. In a conference call on Thursday, he called it “a waste of time,” and said lawmakers should focus on getting re-elected.

But Julie Shutley, a spokeswoman for the N.R.C.C. said that Democrats “have plenty of problems to worry about, considering that their approval ratings are at a historic low and they have left town for a month long break without passing a single piece of legislation that would lower the price of gas.” In an e-mail message, she added: “We believe this will be a very competitive election year and that Republicans will benefit from John McCain being at the top of the ticket.”

The Time’s Carl Hulse reported on a previous memo Mr. Van Hollen sent to his colleagues in June that explored what effect Senator Barack Obama’s place at the top of the presidential ticket might have on downballot races. In that letter, the chairman said Mr. Obama’s appeal among independent voters could be helpful around the country.

Ya mean there’s a hope of ousting Torture as the flagship of US policy? Of stopping the flow of our tax money down a rathole?
Better keep a cool head and work on it first. Get complacent some other year.

The reason I switched to the GREEN PARTY ten years ago is that the Democratic Party can’t be trusted in power any more than the Republicans. It’s not one pack of rats replacing another, but it is scary to think of a Democratic President and a 60 Senator filibuster proof senate. There are plenty of bad ideas on the left of the aisle, too. That’s why we have checks and balances. Let’s hope the Dems end up with 58 seats and McCain in the white house to slow down the ability of anyone to make trouble.

Let’s see if I can keep up–after weeks of posting pro-McCain comments, in the last two days you’ve put forth posts claiming to be a) a pacifist and today, b) a member of the GREEN PARTY.

Of course, beneath those claims remains–shazaam, Batman–yet another pro-McCain appeal.

It’s interesting to me how many conservatives–after six long years when Republicans ran the government as if we lived in a single-party state–and threw the ideas of bi-partisanship and checks and balances under that bus they keep blathering about–are suddenly singing the praises of both.

Could it be that after the debacle their rule has produced, they suddenly realize the GOP is headed down the toilet?

One can only hope their their bloated bodies will clog the commode before the entire country goes down with them.

Senator McCain sure wants to put some distance between President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. I wonder why? Could it be the Republicans dismal record for the last 8 years, including the Oil Corps reaping of $600 BILLION PROFITS, while they have been in Office. Meanwhile, working America has to make hard choices, food or gas, quitting their jobs and relocating the sorry part of that story is the jobs are disappearing too !! Then, there is the tragedy in Iraq and the 4100 dead and many thousands wounded and maimed. A vote for Senator McCain is another vote for the Bush/Cheney dismal record. I hope all of America is tired of the Republican agenda. It is a complete failure !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

Crossing that 60-seat threshold is absolutely not going to happen, even if Obama pulls off a best-case scenario where he’s free to campaign heavily for coat-tails. The only reasons people even talk about it are to rally their own sides and try to make the other side discouraged or complacent.

Fortunately Obama has enough sense to work with congressional Republicans if he wins, and to curb the worst stupidities on his own side of the aisle.

The do nothing Congress must get off their butts and stop being complacent already. For instance, they should be working on an energy plan that is bold and realistic. They should be quickly passing laws to start drilling and refining oil here and now. We have the technology to get our own oil without spoiling the environment. We’re already behind other industrialized countries that are getting their energy from nuclear sources. What are we waiting for? If we had started drilling 15 or 10 years ago, we would already have enough oil to see us thru, until alternative means were available and to stop our enemies on their tracks from using oil as their weapon against us.

The liberal democrats are against us getting our own oil and for asking and lecturing others, like asking or suing OPEC, for what they are preventing us to do at home. All these politicians should be held accountable for letting America falling behind. We need to get those do nothing congressmen and senators out of office and put people in their seats that will not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.

President Obama drew criticism on Thursday when he said, “we don’t have a strategy yet,” for military action against ISIS in Syria. Lawmakers will weigh in on Mr. Obama’s comments on the Sunday shows.Read more…